Monday, November 17, 2008

While watching a historical movie, do you sometimes want to go back in the past and be born again as a royal personality with all kinds of luxuries including garments made of gold or silver? Its a pure fantasy! But hold on, some part of it may come true! You may not be able to wear cloths made of gold but you can very well dress up yourself in metallic fabrics giving more or less the same look. And this will be made possible through metallic fibers! Yes, fibers made from various metals or with their help at least!

What are Metallic Fibers

Fibersare generally categorized as natural fibers and synthetic fibers. With his natural instinct of creating, man has developed many fibers. One of them is metallic fiber. These fibers are made of metal, plastic-coated metal, metal-coated plastic, or a core completely covered by metal. They can be produced by two methods. The laminating process seals a layer of aluminum between two layers of acetate or polyester film. The fibers are then cut into long strips for yarns and wound onto bobbins. Various colors and other effects are used to make the metallic fiber look more and more attractive. The metalizing process heats the metal until it vaporizes and then deposits it at a high pressure onto the polyester film. This process makes more flexible, durable, and comfortable fibers.

Uses of Metallic fibers

Metallic fiber is not only used for decorating clothings and other fashion accessories. As these coated metallic filaments do not tarnish and when suitable adhesives and films are used, they are not affected by salt water, chlorinated water in swimming pools or climatic conditions, they are most effective for making protective cloths and work cloths. Thus, these fibers are used for both, functional as well as decorative purposes.

The most common application of metallic fibers are in making upholstery fabrics like lame and brocade which are then used for making luxurious curtains, sofa covers etc.

Steel fibers are used in making carpets where they are dispersed along with other fibers. These fibers help to conduct electricity so that the static shock is reduced. Such carpets are often used in high volume computer areas where the chance of producing static shock is much greater.

As they are shock resistant, themetallic fabrics also used in space suits, protective clothing, cut resistant gloves of butchers, and in garments for people who work with risky machinery.

These fibers are sometimes twisted with other fibers like wool, cotton, synthetic, and nylon to make yarns which give extra attraction to the finished garments.

Fashion designers often use these fibers to make ultra glamorous apparels for giving that extra edge to their clothing lines. Metallic fabrics of gold, silver and bronze are hot favorites with these professionals.

When not in cloths, they can be found on other fashion accessories such as handbags, belts, and even shoes.